Web Spinners Facts and Information

How to Identify Web Spinners

Web spinners can sometimes be mistaken for termites, but they have several distinctive features. They are slender insects measuring 15–20 mm, with coloration that varies from brown to black, or pink to red. Males have darker, flexible wings, while females and nymphs are wingless. Unlike termites, which are cream-colored or dark brown with pale, equal-length wings, web spinners build fine silk galleries across bark, rocks, and plants, and they move rapidly backward through their tunnels when disturbed.

Habitat of Web Spinners

Web spinners are most common in tropical and subtropical climates but can be found in warmer areas of the southern United States. They live inside silken galleries that cover tree bark, ornamental plants, rocks, leaf litter, and soil surfaces. These galleries retain humidity, provide protection, and allow safe access to food sources. Colonies are subsocial, typically maintained by a female and her offspring, with males leaving the gallery after mating.

Warning Signs of Web Spinners

Key signs of web spinner activity include:

• Networks of silk tunnels spread across bark, stones, or ornamental plants.
• Small, slender insects retreating rapidly inside galleries.
• Feeding activity on moss, lichens, grasses, ornamental plants, and decaying organic matter.
• Silk sheets and tunnel systems appearing across landscaped yards and gardens.

Control Methods for Web Spinners

Control measures may be necessary when silk accumulations or feeding affect turf and ornamental plants. Effective strategies include:

• Remove visible silk galleries from bark, rocks, and plant surfaces.
• Clear away leaf litter, bark, and plant debris that provide harborage.
• Monitor grasses and ornamental plants for feeding activity.